Emilio Sloth’s Modern Manners

In this work about a character who knows how to make others feel seen and valued, Ahdieh (The Wrath and the Dawn), making her picture book debut, and Marley (Charlotte and the Nutcracker) extend the realm of manners to social-emotional awareness. Sloth Emilio, portrayed with gentle, alert eyes, believes that some things are “worth taking my time” (“Did you know there are a hundred ways to tie a cravat? Some days it is difficult to decide”). Donning a top hat and cravat to meet a friend, Emilio heads out with enough time to prioritize punctuality as well as appreciate a nightingale acquaintance’s park song and engage in a brief but meaningful conversation with new friend Mildred Mouse. Prizing mutuality, Emilio responds when asked after, then returns the favor: “When she talks, my favorite thing to do is take my time to listen. If she is sad, I listen. If she is happy, I listen.” In a conflict-free story that moves at its protagonist’s measured pace, Emilio’s heartfelt intentionality, and digital art that exudes earnest, focused calm, speak volumes about remedies to distraction and detachment—namely genuine connection, mindful interaction, and taking one’s time. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman. Illustrator’s agent: Anne Moore Armstrong, Bright Agency. (Oct.)